Search Privacy Violations, Breaches and Complaints
This database was last updated in December 2015 ago and should only be used as a historical snapshot. More recent data on breaches affecting 500 or more people is available at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Breach Portal.
VA Health Care Upstate New York (VISN 2)
Mentioned in a privacy incident report created by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs on July 15, 2011. Also cited in 132 other reports.
Report ID: SPE000000064760, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Reported Entity: VISN 02 Canandaigua, NY
Issue:
BVAC employee received anonymous letter as per below. Only received copies of the notes, not the original. I am a veteran and a veteran advocate who gets his medical care at the VA on Westfall Road. I have been provided with personal medical information found unsecured at the Westfall VA in a meeting room kitchen. The veteran who discovered and gave me this information asked me to see that something is done to secure veteran safety at the VA. I could not tell who left this around, but narrowed this security breach down to mental health/PTSD department. These papers left carelessly around include personal information that is embarrassing. It is disgusting that it was laying around and it may be illegal. I am sending copies of these medical records to you to see that this is addressed. I also sent a copy to my contact at a local newspaper to be sure this is not swept under the carpet. I have been coming to the VA long enough to know that there are some good people there but that the VA mostly can\xe2\x80\x99t be trusted. So I will be contacting the people I have sent this to by telephone in the near future to find out what is being done to promote private and safe medical care. Update: 07/15/11: One Veteran will receive a letter of notification.
Outcome:
Staff education provided.